Dress for Success

Rad

Rad

Well-known member
A high-profile elected court official asked me today "Why do you guys (Photographers) bring these pretty and well-dressed reporters here but you guys usually dress like you're working in a saw mill?"

After defending myself (wearing unfrayed black jeans and a Brand Name polo shirt) I couldn't disagree with him about many of my peers.
 
Sore Shoulder

Sore Shoulder

Well-known member
We dress like we're working in a saw mill because before the day is over we might be. :D

Plus, we don't get our clothes paid for.
 
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Lenslinger

Well-known member
from lenslinger.com

Great answer, Sore Shoulder! My thoughts on the matter from an earlier rant...

....Yes, with the sweltering air soon to settle in for a long summer's nap, I suppose I'm lucky I can even wear shorts to work at all. Problem is, I rarely ever want to. Sure I still do, but given my sartorial druthers I'd pick something a bit more sophisticated than a pair of wrinkled cargo shorts and one mother of an ugly palm tree shirt. See, I never really know where I'm gonna drag my camera to from day to day. Dressing like a tourist is no problem when you're watching meth-labs burn, but sport those too-tight jean shorts and billowing hula girl print to the Republican fundraiser luncheon and you're gonna feel a little conspicuous. Sure, photogs pull it off all the time but it's hard enough to get the Governor to take you seriously when you're blessed to be without a reporter - let alone when you're dressed like Charlie Brown on a field trip.

Perhaps I'm just getting old. What 40 year old wants to feel like a fourth grader picked out his outfit, anyway? Mine actually did; the ten year old in question told me just yesterday she prefers Daddy suitably bearded and sporting something tropical. When I told her I wasn't exactly Magnum PI, she cocked her head to the side and asked what kind of car was that exactly. Not knowing what to say, I followed her to the Clearance rack where this child - the one who changes outfits three times a day - picked out the loudest, most obnoxious Hawaiian shirts allowed by law. Trailing behind her, I realized I'd never make that cover of GQ, when my job involved heavy gear portage, patrol car contortions and spontaneous ghetto safaris. No sir, until I get a real job, I'm just gonna have to pretend to grin as I mix and match Garanimals. I guess there'll be plenty of time to be dignified when I'm dead. Now, what shoes can possibly tie together these pink and green plaid golf shorts with a pit-stained Hanes beefy-Tee?
 
tresbeez

tresbeez

Well-known member
uhmmmm...how about the pretty little meat puppet makes twice as much as i do. besides, it doesnt really matter what i look like, i wear what i think is comfortable and looks nice, do you think people want to see a tall, skinny, scott van pelt look-a-like on tv? until my bosses implement a dress code i'll keep looking like i "work in a saw mill" and continue to make the lens meat look as good as i possibly can.
 
David R. Busse

David R. Busse

Well-known member
I agree to a certain extent...

...with the court guy.

I don't work in shorts and I don't like to wear tee shirts to work. Don't even wear jeans any more. I would like to believe that I want to present a little more professional image, whether on a fire scene or in the mayor's office.

However, the real reason for all this is the fact that I'm a tottering old guy over 50--been a news photographer since age 20-- and was influenced a few years ago by something I learned from Navy people. I want the same clothes and the same pockets so I can locate gear in a hurry with my eyes closed. I don't want to be running around wondering where I hid my keys, stashed the Leatherman, put one of my two cellphones or stuffed my work gloves. They are in the same places day in and day out because I wear the same kinds of clothes every day to work.

I like cargo pants and hate about 98 percent of the baggy, cheaply-made products sold as "cargo pants." So I've settled on something called 511 pants that I have seen worn by reporters, FBI agents and marine biologists. Nice cargo pants with great pockets, a cellphone pocket and a place to carry your two-way radio, work gloves, etc., without looking like a truck driver.

I like button-down shirts simply because I like shirts with pockets for a pen, small notebook and a business-card holder. Right now I am wearing a Cabela's safari shirt--cheap, lasts forever, looks rather worldly and goes well with the pants.Add a leather belt pocket for my beeper (left side) and a nylon holster on my right side for the Leatherman, flashlight and a sharpie and you have my Uniform Of The Day--every day.

I like baseball caps and also wear a photographer's vest from time to time...the caps are simply to protect my old head from the sun and the vest comes in handy when I have to carry a lot of little stuff with me on various kinds of assignments.

Never been told that I look like a sawmill worker, but I've never been mistaken for a lawyer, either. My wardrobe is pretty much 100 percent functional. That's all that matters to me.

PS--Years ago I was supposed to meet Chuck Yeager at a local airport. I showed up at the assigned time and there was America's most famous pilot, standing in the lobby of a local FBO. Everyone in the room seemed rather intimidated. I walked in the door, walked up to General Yeager and he looked at me, smiled and said "...I see you're a Cabela's guy, too..." We were wearing the same shirt.
 
code20photog

code20photog

Well-known member
tresbeez said:
besides, it doesnt really matter what i look like, i wear what i think is comfortable and looks nice, do you think people want to see a tall, skinny, scott van pelt look-a-like on tv? until my bosses implement a dress code i'll keep looking like i "work in a saw mill" and continue to make the lens meat look as good as i possibly can.
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Remember, you're a representative of your station. You're drving a marked van, carrying a camera with the big flag on the mic. What you wear directly reflects back on your station.

I worked at a station where one of our photographers ruined it for all of us and made the Chief institute a dress code. (Female photog who showed up for work one day in flip flops, board shorts and a tank top. She got sent home. But it wasn't the first time she dressed like that.) After that, we had to wear collared shirts, jeans, shorts only on dayside on days over 80 degrees. You say you'll wait till your bosses institute a dress code. Let me tell you, it sucks when they do.

Personally, I like to dress somewhat nice every day. It's rare that I show up without a collared shirt (I did at my last station before the dress code anyways) and while I'll wear shorts on a warm day, they're nicer cargo shorts, and I'll only wear long pants on nightside. If I indeed wear a t-shirt, it's a single color plain shirt. I do stand out at my station at times unfortunately.

Sometimes I kow what we're going to be doing for the day and I can dress appropirately. The B-17 ride the other day, jeans and a black t-shirt becuase I knew I'd be climbing all over the inside of the plane and probably getting dirty. Today, we're going on a sweeps shoot, and have a nice set of clothes set out for it.

Either way, I always carry extra clothes with me. If' I'm in shorts, I always have a pair or jeans with me, and if I'm in a t-shirt, I have a dress shirt along for the ride. (I've been sent to a "last minute" funeral once, thank goodness I keep a set of dress clothes in my car at all times)
 
The Thing on The Sticks

The Thing on The Sticks

PRO user
Same here my last shop had a dress code but I always wear regular khaki pants a collared shirt usually with a black T shirt underneath, in case I am sent somewhere I want to dress down or if I get dirty greasy etc. This came about specifically because I have found that if you dress professional you tend to have a lot less trouble with the police, security guards and your other run of the mill troublemakers.

And secondly just like how I would be reluctant to hire a contractor who was unkempt as a freelancer I feel this is essential to appear professional in front of potential clients which everybody is to some extent or other.

Yes the cargo pants and t-shirts will come out if I am covering certain things like hurricanes floods or the like but lets face it that is the exception to the rule.
 
tresbeez

tresbeez

Well-known member
Code20....yeah I get all that....- didn't start shooting yesterday. My point was, I'm not the one in front of the camera, there I don't need to look as nice as the talent. I carry gear and sweat all day. I have sachtler tripod that gets black dust all over my shoulder. I wear shorts in the summer and usually a button down shirt, I'm comfortab le in that.
 
canuckcam

canuckcam

Well-known member
You know you're a photog when there's noticeable wear and fray on the right shoulder of all your old shirts. Just like the toe of your right shoe where that tripod leg goes when you go to kick to collapse it.

Next time you meet that official, give him the gear and the sticks that you just brought in from the rain. Oh there's mud and unknown guck on the feet? Sorry.
 
cameragod

cameragod

Well-known member
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again if you dress better people treat you better.

Years ago I worked with reporter who always dressed impeccably… I mean he was so sharp you could slice a metaphor on him.
At that time in my career I was a bit slap dash in my approach to clothing.
After late shoots we would go to restaurants together before driving back.
Without fail the look I would get from the serving staff was “Oh it’s a nice gentleman and his bit of ruff.”

I got sick of being the bit of ruff and now I dress better and I get treated like a grown up… instead of a tow truck driver.

 
cameradog

cameradog

Well-known member
tresbeez said:
uhmmmm...how about the pretty little meat puppet makes twice as much as i do.
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I don't understand this excuse. Nobody is suggesting you wear a suit. Jeans cost just as much as khakis (or more), but khakis last just as long and stand up to real work. The khakis I'm wearing at this moment cost me $20 at the Van Heusen outlet store, and the cut allows me more freedom of movement than jeans. Likewise with shirts. Nobody is suggesting you wear a $70 dress shirt with a silk tie. Nor do they expect you to wear your Sunday school shoes.

Dressing better doesn't necessarily mean you have to spend more money.
 
F

Foxwood

Well-known member
Echo that Cameradog. I realized a long time ago that the nicer you looked, the better you were received. You want to look like a professional, not a guy who is about to climb into a pit to change the oil. Khakis do offer a lot more freedom of movement, and more pocket space to carry things. I recently found a great pair of Columbia khakis at Marshalls for $14 or $15 . They actually have a double pocket on the right side with a zipper hidden on the one in the inside. They are great for work. Levis will run you 2 or 3 times that. And if you trash them somehow, it's not a big deal.
 
cameradog

cameradog

Well-known member
Foxwood said:
And if you trash them somehow, it's not a big deal.
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That's another funny thing. Some folks seem to think that khakis are made of a fragile material not meant for work. Yet if you go work in a factory (I have), the Dickeys work pants you'll see a lot of people wearing are khaki. Traditionally, safari clothes are khaki. Before jumpsuits became popular, even prisons dressed their inmates in khaki for their work details. You don't wear denim in those situations because it doesn't breathe well and is more restrictive.

What I really think is funny is that some guys will balk at wearing plain khaki slacks, as if they're not meant for work, then show up instead in khaki cargo pants. I guess they either don't realize the cargo pants are khaki too, or they think the extra pockets sewn on make the material stronger.
 
AlexLucas

AlexLucas

Well-known member
Politicians are always quick to say that...

The real deal is, there is hardly a day where I don't get dirty.

If I dress in a clean and matching top (black shirt and black overjacket today), and I don't worry after that point.
 
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LenzCzAll

Member
I feel the same as most of the posts, right or wrong, you do get treated differently by people based on your appearance. Lately my pet peeve is sandals. I just can stand seeing a photog come in, with sandals. The worse is when said photog comes in with sandals and white socks. I know you've all seen the merrell sandals that almost look like tennis shoes, but their not. White socks or no socks, IMO it likes looks like your go to the beach, coupled with a questionable shirt and not so great shorts, your just asking to get treated like a hobo. Also, what if your shoot is in some factory, your not going to get very far in sandals if there is welding going on.
I too can sweat through a shirt in seconds, I even sweat when it's minus 5 degrees out.Yes I get dirty just like everyone else, but I keep an extra shirt in the car, along with pants. I don't break the bank on clothes, but I look nice and don't get treated like a saw mill worker.
 
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